Without question, the most difficult and complex crime facing America’s investigators and prosecutors is the crime of child abuse. The limited language abilities of these victims, the rarity of traditional physical evidence, and the skepticism of the public makes the successful handling of these cases a daunting task.

To assist investigators and prosecutors, APRI’s National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse—the nation’s premiere trainer of child abuse prosecutors and investigators—presents the Investigation and Prosecution of Child Abuse, Third Edition. Readers of this manual will receive practical, common sense assistance in handling child abuse cases from the initial report to the closing argument at trial. Appendices on the enclosed CD-ROM include hundreds of sample motions and other legal documents that can be adapted to the jurisdiction of individual readers. Now in its Third Edition, the manual contains the latest in case law and research on nearly every facet of child sexual abuse, physical abuse and neglect. This is the only book on the market specifically geared to investigators and prosecutors called upon to handle abuse cases.

Child abuse prosecutors and investigators, child protection attorneys, social workers, psychologists, and forensic interviewers, whether new to the field or experts with years of experience, will find this manual invaluable to continued efforts at protecting children in need. University criminal justice and social work departments and law schools will also find this a much-needed addition to course readings and library collections.